The present invention relates generally to beverage containers. More specifically, the present invention relates to a beverage container having a sealed, integral dispensing means and a method for making same.
Containers that store a beverage and provide a means for dispensing the beverage are known in the art. For example, a commonly-used beverage container is a drink box with an additional drinking straw provided for insertion into the box to dispense the beverage. Also known in the art are pouches or bags that contain beverages for drinking.
These drink boxes and beverage pouches are quite popular due to their convenience, portability and capability for sanitary storage of beverages. For example, drink boxes, because of their individual-size portions and portable nature, have become commonplace in children's school lunches and for many "brown bag" lunch carriers.
However, the known containers have some deficiencies. For example, many of the known drink boxes come with an accompanying straw that must be punctured through the drink box itself to provide a means for dispensing the beverage. This can be problematic. Such a task may be unsafe and difficult for a child to perform, since the straw necessarily has a sharp edge to puncture through the cardboard drink box and such a task requires a degree of manual dexterity beyond normal abilities of a young child.
Furthermore, the straw is usually fastened to the drink box by an adhesive on the box itself, which requires another processing step in the manufacture thereof. Also, another problem known in the art is that the straw could become separated from the drink box, thereby rendering the drink box unusable. In addition, it is sometimes difficult to find the puncture hole for inserting the straw.
In addition to the physical problems of the known drink boxes and beverage pouches are problems related to cost. Also, related manufacturing problems are involved therewith. The known drink boxes are folded from modified paper stock. This can be problematic. For example, it is inherently more difficult to form a square box than a somewhat less structured pouch. Also, the paper stock can become more expensive when all the modifications to provide essential barrier properties are added. Thus, the use of a material that inherently provides a vapor barrier and that is heat-sealable provides for lower cost and more cost-effective manufacturing.
Many of the same problems associated with the drink boxes are present with the beverage pouches, too. Thus, the problems associated with known drink boxes and beverage pouches need correction in a simple and cost-effective manner.
As a result, there is therefore a need for an improved, portable, individual beverage container having a sealed, integral dispensing means and an efficient and cost-effective manner of manufacturing same.